TV personality Spencer Pratt says he has had to do a lot of extra work in the past few weeks after losing he and his wife Heidi Montag’s home in the LA fires which erupted on 8 January.
The 41-year-old stated that he has had to increase his family’s social media presence because they aren’t “rich” and therefore need the extra money.
Pratt spoke with People
In an interview with People Magazine, Pratt shared that he would have stayed off social media if he had had the money.
“If we were rich, I wouldn’t be on an app,” he said. “I’d be buying a new house and starting to order things.”
He explained he’s had to be vulnerable
Pratt explained he wouldn’t have shared anything personal online if social media wasn’t he and his family’s lifeline. “So, I don’t think we would’ve shared anything vulnerable,” he said.
Pratt and his wife Montag have had to make a living on social media to support their sons Gunner and Ryker who are six and two.
Their jobs were on social media before
“[Social media] is how we already made money before. That’s our way of life. Heidi and I have been Snapchatting every day probably for eight years, our whole life,” Pratt continued.
The content creators are used to this job, “because that’s how we pay for bills” as explained by Pratt.
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The work increased after they lost home
Pratt pointed out that since they’ve lost their home in the LA fires, they’ve had to double down on the content creation.
“So, especially when your house and everything’s gone, you’re not going to be like, ‘Oh, I’m going to stop doing the one thing that pays us’,” he explained.
Pratt spoke frankly
In his interview with People, Pratt spoke with honesty, admitting, “I don’t think we would’ve shared anything – honestly – if we didn’t need money.”
Pratt also spoke to Variety last week, where he shared the amount of money he’s made on TikTok since losing his home.
He shared the number they made on TikTok
“I made, like, $4,000 on TikTok this week, but on TikTok Live, where people can just give to me direct, I think maybe $20,000. So that’s phenomenal, and life-changing,” Pratt told Variety.
“That’s the power of individual supporters, people just backing you and getting behind you,” he added.
Pratt finds the support incredible
“And that’s the most powerful when you don’t have to rely on ads or AI and algorithms when just actual human beings just want to give. It’s unbelievable and incredible,” the TV reality star added.
Pratt also used TikTok to promote his wife’s 2010 pop music album, Superficial.
He spoke about the music promotion
“I have no idea how much money [the music has made]. I don’t know if it comes in cheques or when, but everybody keeps telling me, don’t expect any money,” Pratt shared.
He also added, “I’m more excited about the energy and opportunities that come from it. I don’t think these streams and all these charts [make money].”
Pratt regained a sense of hope
The TV personality said his experience with TikTok has given him a sense of hope after his family lost everything in the fires.
“Based on what people are telling me, the music business is about touring, it’s about merchandise, it’s about all the things that come with it; that’s how the artists make money unless you’re doing billions of streams, which I’m still energetically [pushing],” he said.
He’s optimistic about their future
“It’s not happening yet! I’m being optimistic because truly, it’s the only way to get through all this,” Pratt added.
Pratt and his wife Montag filed a lawsuit last week against the city of Los Angeles and the Department of Water and Power for alleged negligence that resulted in losing their home in the LA fires.